Reunited
by EdwardsSoul101
Summary: "I was coming back anyway." … "It was only a matter of time—and not much of it—before I showed up at your window and begged you to take me back." What if Bella hadn't jumped off that cliff? New Moon AU.


_Summary: "I was coming back anyway." … "It was only a matter of time—and not much of it—before I showed up at your window and begged you to take me back." What if Bella hadn't jumped off that cliff? New Moon AU._

**Chapter 1**

Extract from New Moon, chapter 15

_I stepped out to the edge, keeping my eyes on the empty space in front of me. My toes felt ahead blindly, caressing the edge of the rock when they encountered it. I drew in a deep breath and held it, waiting._

_"Bella."_

_I smiled and exhaled._

_Yes? I didn't answer out loud, for fear that the sound of my voice would shatter the beautiful illusion. He sounded so real, so close. It was only when lie was disapproving like this that I could hear the true memory of his voice—the velvet texture and the musical intonation that made up the most perfect of all voices._

_"Don't do this," he pleaded._

_You wanted me to be human, I reminded him. Well, watch me._

_"Please. For me."_

_But you won't stay with me any other way._

_"Please." It was just a whisper in the blowing rain that tossed my hair and drenched my clothes—making me as wet as if this were my second jump of the day._

_I rolled up onto the balls of my feet._

_"No, Bella!" He was angry now, and the anger was so lovely._

_I smiled and raised my arms straight out, as if I were going to dive, lifting my face into the rain…_

I hung there for an agonisingly long moment, in a passionate limbo, unable to jump, unable to wrench myself away from the thought of the beautiful voice going away. A huge raindrop fell directly into my eye.

"Ouch," I muttered, looking down as I blinked it away.

That's when I saw it.

A fire, small but brilliant orange, floating on the water a little way out in the bay. _How is there a fire on the water, _I wondered, momentarily distracted.

"Bella," the voice growled. I thrilled again at the sound of it, even dripping with rage. "Get yourself away from here. To somewhere safe."

But I couldn't concentrate on what the voice was saying. How could I? The words fell around me like a musical shower, bouncing off me superfluously.

"Bella!" The voice was louder now, clearer in my ears. I looked down again, and really saw this time.

The fire was moving. And fast.

It was almost directly beneath her now, more or less where I pictured I would land if I jumped off the cliff. I shuddered.

I backed away from the edge, just a couple of paces, but that was enough to soothe the voice.

"That's right, Bella. Go home," it crooned. It felt so nice to please the voice, I thought. It sounded even lovelier when I abided by it. But it didn't speak to me when I obeyed it; it only came when I was in danger. Hesitantly, I took a minute step forward, and waited.

It waited too, testing my nerve. It gave up first. "Please, Bella," it whispered, so seductively, I couldn't bear to do anything but obey. I ran back the way I came as fast as I could, before I changed my mind.

"Bella!" someone shouted. Over the sound of the storm, I thought it was the voice at first, but no, this was rougher, younger. Looking completely drenched and a little worse for wear, Jacob came barrelling towards me, a look on his face not unlike the sky behind him. "What are you doing up here? It's not safe!"

I shrank back. "Sorry, I didn't think," I muttered, while Jacob caught my hand in his and dragged me back towards my truck.

"Jacob? What's going on?" I had to yell over the noise of sheeting rain and rumbling thunder. The storm was really kicking up now.

"I'll tell you on the way," he promised, getting in the driver's side. I sighed, deciding not to bother picking this particular fight, and crawled into the passenger seat, suddenly exhausted and soaking wet.

"Can you at least tell me where we're going?" I demanded. If he was going to be driving me around in my own truck, I at least deserved to know the destination.

"My house," he said, calmer now. His expression was still unfathomable. He started the truck's ignition and the heaters came on at full power. I held my hands up in front of them.

We sat quietly for a little while. I could see he was angry. I broke the silence first.

"Did you find her?"

"No." He kept his eyes on the road. "She got away in the water. They have an advantage over us there."

He wasn't budging. I decided to try again.

"How did you know where I'd be?"

He paused. "You come to the beach a lot. And when I saw your truck…" His expression had softened now.

"Well, just so you know, I wasn't going to jump," I clarified.

"Really, Bella? Just wanted a better view?" He challenged, sarcasm dripping from his voice. I recoiled a little, hurt. Jacob wasn't usually like this.

"Sorry," he murmured after a beat. "I'm not in the best mood. It's not your fault."

"Did something happen?"

It was an innocent question, but Jacob's face twisted.

"Actually… Harry Clearwater had a heart attack."

"That's terrible", I said. "Is he going to be okay?"

"It doesn't look good," he replied solemnly. "Your dad's at the hospital with him now."

My heart sank. "Poor Charlie. Poor Sue, and Seth and Leah…"

"Poor Harry," Jacob chipped in.

After cleaning up at his house, Jacob drove me home, apparently still thinking I was incapable of driving myself. Charlie wasn't back yet; I didn't expect him to be. This had to be hitting him hard. He and Harry had been friends for a long time.

I fell onto my bed, the exhaustion from earlier returning, even more strongly than before, and I instantly fell into a restless sleep.


End file.
